Drawer slide assembly

ABSTRACT

A drawer slide assembly includes an upper slide; an inner slide having a buffer unit located therein; at least two upper sliding guides being provided on top and bottom with first sliding bearings to bear against upper inner and lower inner surfaces of the upper slide and upper inner and upper outer surface of the inner slide, and on a lateral wall with second sliding bearings to bear against a lateral inner surface of the upper slide and a lateral upper outer surface of the inner slide, so that the upper slide and the inner slide are mutually slidably assembled to each other; and a mounting plate for holding the assembled upper slide and inner slide to a fixed place. With the sliding bearings so arranged, the drawer slide assembly provides a buffering effect to enable smooth and stable opening and closing of a drawer box.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a drawer slide assembly, and moreparticularly to a drawer slide assembly that provides a buffering effectand enables smooth and stable opening and closing of a drawer box.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally, a drawer box has two slides mounted to two lateral outersides thereof. The two slides are provided with a plurality of rollingelements each, so as to reduce the frictional resistance between thedrawer box and the slides, allowing the drawer box to be smoothly andeffortlessly opened or closed. While the conventional drawer slides areprovided with the rolling elements, they do not include other protectiveor locating mechanisms to cooperate with the rolling elements. As aresult, when the drawer box is not pulled or pushed by a force appliedto a central position of the drawer box, the drawer box tends tosidewardly deviate from its sliding path, and the rolling elements tendto vibrate sidewardly and even separate from the slides to adverselyincrease the frictional resistance between the slides and the drawerbox, preventing the drawer box from being smoothly and stably opened orclosed. And, while the rolling elements on the drawer slides enablesmooth and effortless opening and closing of the drawer box, the drawerbox easily slidable on the slides tends to produce a loud collisionnoise when it is carelessly closed with an overly large force. In aworse condition, the drawer box and/or the rolling elements of theslides would become damaged due to collision when the drawer box isforcefully closed.

It is therefore tried by the inventor to develop an improved drawerslide assembly that provides a buffering effect and enables smooth andstable opening and closing of a drawer box.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a drawer slideassembly that enables smooth and stable opening and closing of a drawerbox.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a drawer slideassembly that provides a buffering effect.

To achieve the above and other objects, the drawer slide assemblyaccording to the present invention includes an upper slide; an innerslide having a buffer unit located therein; at least two upper slidingguides being provided on top and bottom thereof with a plurality offirst sliding bearings to bear against upper inner and lower innersurfaces of the upper slide as well as upper inner and upper outersurfaces of the inner slide, and on a lateral wall with a plurality ofsecond sliding bearings to bear against an inner lateral surface of theupper slide and a lateral upper outer surface of the inner slide, sothat the upper slide and the inner slide are mutually slidably assembledto each other; and a mounting plate for holding the assembled upperslide and inner slide to a fixed place.

With the sliding bearings so arranged, the drawer slide assemblyprovides a buffering effect and enables smooth and stable opening andclosing of a drawer box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present inventionto achieve the above and other objects can be best understood byreferring to the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a drawer slide assemblyaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an assembled sectional view of the drawer slide assembly ofFIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing the drawer slide assembly ofthe present invention in a drawer opening operation;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are side views of FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views of the drawer slide assembly of thepresent invention in a drawer closing operation;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are side views of FIGS. 7 and 8, respectively; and

FIG. 11 shows a pair of drawer slide assemblies of the present inventionmounted to a bottom of a drawer box with the drawer box in a fullyopened or drawn out position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 1 that is an exploded perspective view of a drawerslide assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention,and to FIG. 2 that is an assembled sectional view of FIG. 1. As shown,the drawer slide assembly 10 of the present invention includes an upperslide 11; an inner slide 12 having a buffer unit 16 located therein; atleast two upper sliding guides 14; and a mounting plate 17 provided witha plurality of mounting holes 171 for holding the assembled upper slide11 and inner slide 12 to a fixed place.

The upper slide 11 has an outer end closed with a stopper 113, so as toprevent external dust from invading the upper slide 11 to adverselyaffect the smooth moving of the upper sliding guides 14 in the upperslide 11.

Each of the upper sliding guides 14 is provided on a top and a bottomwith a plurality of first sliding bearings 141, such that the firstsliding bearings 141 located at the top of the upper sliding guides 14bear against an upper inner surface of the upper slide 11 and an upperouter surface of the inner slide 12, and the first sliding bearings 141located at the bottom of the upper sliding guides 14 bear against alower inner surface of the upper slide 11 and an upper inner surface ofthe inner slide 12. Each of the upper sliding guides 14 is furtherprovided on a lateral wall with a plurality of second sliding bearings142, such that the second sliding bearings 142 bear against a lateralinner surface of the upper slide 11 and a lateral upper outer surface ofthe inner slide 12. With the above arrangements, the upper slide 11 andthe inner slide 12 are mutually slidably assembled to each other.

It is noted a plurality of axially extended first slide ways 115 isformed on the upper inner and lower inner surfaces of the upper slide11, and a plurality of axially extended second slide ways 121 is formedon the upper outer and upper inner surfaces of the inner slide 12 tocorrespond to the first sliding bearings 141, so as to restrict thefirst sliding bearings 141 to roll within the first and the second guideways 115, 121, and ensure that the upper slide 11, the inner slide 12,and the first sliding bearings 141 are maintained in their relativepositions to one another without being displaced by external forces. Theupper slide 11 is further provided on an upper outer surface with alocating member 114 to enable a stable connection of the upper slide 11to a drawer box (not shown) to which the drawer slide assembly 10 of thepresent invention is mounted.

The upper slide 11 and the inner slide 12 are internally provided with aplurality of limiting devices (not shown) for defining a maximum travelby which the upper slide 11 is allowed to outward or inward slide alongand relative to the inner slide 12.

For a drawer box that has a relatively large size, the drawer slideassembly 10 with the upper slide 11 and the inner slide 12 in a fullyextended position might still be not long enough to support the fullydrawn-out large drawer box. In this case, the inner slide 12 is designedto be a sideward opened U-shaped member with an upper wall thereofconnected to the upper slide 11 via the first sliding guides 14 and alower wall connected to a lower slide 13 via at least two lower slidingguides 15. When the upper slide 11 and the inner slide 12 of the drawerslide assembly 10 are fully drawn out from the lower slide 13, thedrawer slide assembly 10 may have a total length long enough to supportthe fully drawn-out large-size drawer box, and is therefore verypractical for use.

Each of the lower sliding guides 15 is provided on a top and a bottomwith a plurality of third sliding bearings 151, such that the thirdsliding bearings 151 located at the top of the lower sliding guides 15bear against an upper inner surface of the lower slide 13 and a lowerinner surface of the inner slide 12, and the third sliding bearings 151located at the bottom of the lower sliding guides 15 bear against alower inner surface of the lower slide 13 and a lower outer surface ofthe inner slide 12. Each of the lower sliding guides 15 is furtherprovided on a lateral wall with a plurality of fourth sliding bearings152, such that the fourth sliding bearings 152 bear against a lateralinner surface of the lower slide 13 and a lateral lower outer surface ofthe inner slide 12. With the above arrangements, the lower slide 13 andthe inner slide 12 are mutually slidably assembled to each other.

It is noted a plurality of axially extended third slide ways 122 isformed on the lower outer and lower inner surfaces of the inner slide 12and a plurality of axially extended fourth slide ways 131 is formed onthe upper inner and lower inner surfaces of the lower slide 13 tocorrespond to the third sliding bearings 151, so as to restrict thethird sliding bearings 151 to roll within the third and the fourth guideways 122, 131, and ensure that the lower slide 13, the inner slide 12,and the third sliding bearings 151 are maintained in their relativepositions to one another without being displaced by external forces.

The upper slide 11, the inner slide 12, and the lower slide 13 areinternally provided with a plurality of limiting devices (not shown) fordefining maximum travels by which the upper slide 11 is allowed tooutward or inward slide along and relative to the inner slide 12, andthe inner slide 12 is allowed to outward or inward slide along andrelative to the lower slide 13.

The buffer unit 16 is fixedly located above the lower slide 13. When thedrawer slide assembly 10 is in a fully retracted state, the buffer unit16 is enclosed in the lying U-shaped inner slide 12. With the bufferunit 16, a force applied by a user to close the drawer box is buffered,protecting the whole drawer slide assembly 10 against damage by anoverly large force directed thereto and eliminating collision noise.

The buffer unit 16 includes a base 160 and a buffer element 161. Thebuffer element 161 may be a fluid cylinder or an air cylinder, and has apiston rod 162 provided at an outer end thereof to freely extend fromand retract into the buffer element 161. The base 160 is formed with aslide slot 164, at a terminal of which a retaining slot 165 is provided.A linking member 166 is mounted in the slide slot 164, and is connectedto the piston rod 162 via a link rod 167. When the link rod 167 isfreely moving along the slide slot 164, the piston rod 162 is brought bythe link rod 167 to move at the same time. The base 160 is internallyprovided with an elastic element 163, an end of which is fixed to apoint in the base 160 and the other end of which is connected to thelinking member 166.

The upper slide 11 is provided at one longitudinal side with a firstactuator 111. When the drawer box is drawn out, the first actuator 111on the upper slide 11 correspondingly brings the linking member 166 tomove along the slide slot 164, and thereby pulls and extends the elasticelement 163, which has an end connected to the linking member 166. Atthis point, the piston rod 162 is also pulled by the link rod 167 toextend from the buffer element 161 until the linking member 166 is slidinto and held in place at the retaining slot 165. On the other hand,when the drawer box is closed, the first actuator 111 on the upper slide11 would push the linking member 166 out of the retaining slot 165, anda restoring force of the extended elastic element 163 would pull thereleased linking member 166 and accordingly, the piston rod 162 to theirhome positions.

The upper slide 11 is further provided at the same longitudinal sidewith a second actuator 112. When the drawer box is closed, the secondactuator 112 correspondingly pushes the piston rod 162 into the bufferelement 161 to ensure an increased and balanced force for pulling thepiston rod 162 into the buffer element 161. In the present invention,the elastic element 163 is a spring.

Please refer to FIGS. 3 and 4 that are perspective views showing thedrawer slide assembly 10 of the present invention in a drawer openingoperation; and to FIGS. 5 and 6 that are side views of FIGS. 3 and 4,respectively. As shown, when the upper slide 11 is extended outward, itbrings the inner slide 12 to extend outward at the same time. At thispoint, the first actuator 111 at one side of the upper slide 11correspondingly brings the linking member 166 to move along the slideslot 164 and thereby pull and extend the elastic element 163. Meanwhile,the link rod 167 of the linking member 166 pulls the piston rod 162 outof the buffer element 161 until the linking member 166 is moved into theretaining slot 165 and held thereto. When the inner slide 12 has beenoutward extended to a maximum travel defined for it, the upper slide 11may be further moved outward to a maximum travel defined for it, and thedrawer slide assembly 10 of the present invention has been fully drawnout to open the drawer box.

On the other hand, FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views showing thedrawer slide assembly 10 of the present invention in a drawer closingoperation; and FIGS. 9 and 10 are side views of FIGS. 7 and 8,respectively. As shown, when a drawer box is closed, the upper slide 11is retracted at the same. At this point, the inner slide 12 is broughtby the upper slide 11 to retract at the same time, and the firstactuator 111 on the upper slide 11 is moved toward the linking member166. When the upper slide 11 is continuously retracted, and the linkingmember 166 is finally moved out of the retaining slot 165 (see FIG. 1)by the first actuator 111, the restoring force of the extended elasticelement 163 pulls the linking member 166 and accordingly, the piston rod162 to their original positions. When the piston rod 162 is pulledbackward by the elastic element 163, the buffer element 161, which maybe a fluid or an air cylinder, buffers are tracting speed of the pistonrod 162. That is, the piston rod 162 is pulled by the elastic element163 to gradually retract into the buffer element 161, and the upperslide 11 is also gradually moved backward to locate above the inner andthe lower slide 12, 13 to complete smooth retracting of the drawer slideassembly 10 and the smooth closing of the drawer box.

Please refer to FIG. 11 that shows a pair of drawer slide assemblies 10of the present invention is mounted to a bottom of a drawer box 2, andthe drawer box 2 is in a fully opened or drawn out position. The drawerslide assemblies 10 may be otherwise mounted to two lateral outer sidesof the drawer box 2. With the sliding bearings 141, 142, 151, 152 on theupper and the lower sliding guiders 14, 15 located between the upper,the inner, and the lower slide 11, 12, 13, the drawer box 2 may besmoothly and stably drawn out. When the drawer box 2 is closed with toomuch force, and the upper and the inner slide 11, 12 are retracted toquickly move the first actuator 111 to the position to disengage thelinking member 166 from the retaining slot 165, the buffer element 161may still function to buffer the retracting speed of the piston rod 162and damper the strong force used to close the drawer box 2, so that thepiston rod 162 pulled by the elastic element 163 is gradually moved intothe buffer element 161, allowing the upper slide 11 and the drawer box 2to moderately move backward without damaging the whole drawer slideassembly 10 or causing any collision noise.

1. A drawer slide assembly, comprising: an upper slide; an inner slidehaving a buffer unit located therein; at least two upper sliding guidesbeing provided on a top and a bottom with a plurality of first slidingbearings, and on a lateral wall with a plurality of second slidingbearings, such that the first sliding bearings on the top of the uppersliding guides bear against an upper inner surface of the upper slideand an upper outer surface of the inner slide, the first slidingbearings on the bottom of the upper sliding guides bear against a lowerinner surface of the upper slide and an upper inner surface of the innerslide, and the second sliding bearings bear against a lateral innersurface of the upper slide and a lateral upper outer surface of theinner slide, causing the upper slide and the inner slide to mutuallyslidably assemble to each other; and a mounting plate for holding themutually assembled upper and inner slides to a predetermined position.2. The drawer slide assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upperslide is formed on the upper inner and lower inner surfaces with aplurality of axially extended first slide ways, and the inner slide isformed on the upper outer and upper inner surfaces with a plurality ofaxially extended second slide ways to correspond to the first slidingbearings.
 3. A drawer slide assembly, comprising: an upper slide; aninner slide; at least two upper sliding guides being provided on a topand a bottom with a plurality of first sliding bearings, and on alateral wall with a plurality of second sliding bearings, such that thefirst sliding bearings on the top of the upper sliding guides bearagainst an upper inner surface of the upper slide and an upper outersurface of the inner slide, the first sliding bearings on the bottom ofthe upper sliding guides bear against a lower inner surface of the upperslide and an upper inner surface of the inner slide, and the secondsliding bearings bear against a lateral inner surface of the upper slideand a lateral upper outer surface of the inner slide, causing the upperslide and the inner slide to mutually slidably assemble to each other; alower slide having a buffer unit fixedly located thereabove; at leasttwo lower sliding guides being provided on a top and a bottom with aplurality of third sliding bearings, such that the third slidingbearings on the top of the lower sliding guides bear against an upperinner surface of the lower slide and a lower inner surface of the innerslide, and the third sliding bearings on the bottom of the lower slidingguides bear against a lower inner surface of the lower slide and anlower outer surface of the inner slide, causing the lower slide and theinner slide to mutually slidably assemble to each other; and a mountingplate for holding the mutually assembled upper, lower, and inner slidesto a predetermined position.
 4. The drawer slide assembly as claimed inclaim 3, wherein the upper slide is formed on the upper inner and lowerinner surfaces with a plurality of axially extended first slide ways,and the inner slide is formed on the upper outer and upper innersurfaces with a plurality of axially extended second slide ways tocorrespond to the first sliding bearings.
 5. The drawer slide assemblyas claimed in claim 3, wherein the inner slide is formed on the lowerouter and lower inner surfaces with a plurality of axially extendedthird slide ways, and the lower slide is formed on the upper inner andlower inner surfaces with a plurality of axially extended fourth slideways to correspond to the third sliding bearings.
 6. The drawer slideassembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lower sliding guides areprovided on a lateral wall with a plurality of fourth sliding bearings,such that the fourth sliding bearings bear against a lateral innersurface of the lower slide and a lateral lower outer surface of theinner slide, causing the lower slide and the inner slide to mutuallyslidably assemble to each other.
 7. A drawer slide assembly, comprising:an upper slide being provided at one longitudinal side with an actuator;an inner slide; at least two upper sliding guides for causing the upperslide and the inner slide to mutually slidably assemble to each other; abuffer unit being located in the inner slide and including a base and abuffer element; the buffer element having a piston rod provided at anouter end thereof, and the base being formed with a slide slot, at aterminal of which a retaining slot is provided; a linking member beingmounted in the slide slot to connect to the piston rod via a link rod,and being controlled by the actuator on the upper slide to move into andout of the retaining slot on the base; and an elastic element beingprovided in the base with an end fixed to a point in the base and theother end connected to the linking member; and a mounting plate forholding the mutually assembled upper and inner slides to a predeterminedposition.
 8. The drawer slide assembly as claimed in claim 7, furthercomprising a lower slide, and the lower slide and the inner slide beingmutually slidably assembled to each other via at least two lower slidingguides.
 9. The drawer slide assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein theupper sliding guides are provided on a top and a bottom with a pluralityof first sliding bearings, and on a lateral wall with a plurality ofsecond sliding bearings, such that the first sliding bearings on the topof the upper sliding guides bear against an upper inner surface of theupper slide and an upper outer surface of the inner slide, the firstsliding bearings on the bottom of the upper sliding guides bear againsta lower inner surface of the upper slide and an upper inner surface ofthe inner slide, and the second sliding bearings bear against a lateralinner surface of the upper slide and a lateral upper outer surface ofthe inner slide.
 10. The drawer slide assembly as claimed in claim 8,wherein the lower sliding guides are provided on a top and a bottom witha plurality of third sliding bearings, and on a lateral wall with aplurality of fourth sliding bearings, such that the third slidingbearings on the top of the lower sliding guides bear against an upperinner surface of the lower slide and a lower inner surface of the innerslide, the third sliding bearings on the bottom of the lower slidingguides bear against a lower inner surface of the lower slide and a lowerouter surface of the inner slide, and the fourth sliding bearings bearagainst a lateral inner surface of the lower slide and a lateral lowerouter surface of the inner slide.